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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Fast Company

Fast Company

Fast Company is the name we’re using for a set of abilities
that create “action heroes.” These characters are larger-than life heroes who
may not precisely have super powers (although they can) but are definitely far
above the capabilities of normal men. They can come through a hail of gunfire
with only grazes, fight with steel blades as effectively as with their bare
fists, and may well be super detectives, costumed crime fighters, or
super-spies.

Fast Company characters have reflexes that are far above
those of normal humans and may often have exotic training, equipment, and
physical toughness.

Covered In This Section

In this chapter we’ll cover:

1.The Fast
Company Vibe: what are Fast Company games and characters generally like?
How do you use them in a campaign and who has these Traits?

2.The
Fast Company Traits (Levels 1-4): There are four “levels” of Fast Company
allowing the creation of characters from exotic to virtually super-heroic.

3.Bullet
Time (how it works mechanically) And Other Rules: Levels 3 and 4 of Fast
Company have a special ability that gives them an “extra Round” for every round
“normal people” get. This is called the “bullet round” and is a way of making
Fast Company characters faster than mere mortals!

4.Some other notes around using Fast Company with
other Traits.

The Fast Company Vibe

The world of Fast Company is that of cinematic super-spies,
costumed crime fighters, and extreme martial artists. Fast Company characters
are designed so that:

vThey’re
Fast: They have higher Initiatives, more REA, and sometimes even “extra
time” that ordinary characters don’t get.

vThey
Fight as Effectively Armed As Unarmed: At least against each other, using a
sword, your gun is a reasonably even decision. This is because Fast Company
characters tend to take less damage from weapon attacks (PEN damage) and deal
more damage with unarmed attacks (even if they do not explicitly have martial
arts). This makes, for many purposes, the decision to use weapons or not a
style issue rather than one of effectiveness.

Fast Company characters usually know they are exceptional
but will not generally believe they are “super human.” The standard convention
of the games we’ve used these in is that they still ‘fear’ guns but recognize
that they can handle themselves against a weapon (you will see how Fast
Defenses make guns far less effective against them than they might be).

Examples of Fast Company Campaigns (and Fiction)

Here are some ways you might use Fast Company in a JAGS
Revised Archetypes game:

Game

Characters

Notes

Example Fiction

Costumed Crime Fighters

34 AP (L2) or (??) L3, 50 CP

The characters are costumed crime
fighters who each have some kind of special origin and motivation (whatever
caused them to become crime fighters). Some may have special gear or even
unusual capabilities like (perhaps) low-level psionics—but none of them are
flashy, car-throwing, ‘four-color’ super heroes

Watchmen, Batman, Blind Fury, Remo
Williams

Super Spies

22 AP (L1), 50-75 CP

The characters are members of an elite secret government
team who have extensive exotic training and weapons. They usually handle
missions that even “ordinary” special forces can’t manage

The characters are extreme
examples of peak-human-performance and can, as a very small group, turn the
tide of a war.

Captain America, The Matrix, Rambo

Fast Company Levels 1-4

We’ve broken the traits down into four basic levels from “very
tough” (level 1) to “virtually super-heroic” (level 4). We’ll describe each of
these Traits and what the specific abilities mean.

Bonus Type

Applying The Bonus

Dodge Ranged Attacks

Fast Company have extremely good
senses, instincts, and reflexes when it comes to avoiding damage. They can dodge
ranged attacks at no negative. NOTE: they also get 8 CP in Acrobatics (which
will likely give them Level 3, 13- Acrobatics with which to dodge for only 3
REA instead of the normal 5 REA).

Full AGI Applies Vs. Ranged
Attacks

Most characters only get half their AGI bonus rounded down
against ranged attacks but Fast Company characters get their full AGI Bonus
(AGI-10) applied to both HTH and Ranged attacks).

Fast Defenses

Fast Company characters are
extremely good at avoiding damage and get negative damage modifiers applied
against incoming attacks. These are:

These damage modifiers are
applied before checking for PEN
Doubling (so a gun shot that hits by 9 goes to a hit by 1 and does not
double). The optional defenses make the character very resistant to heavy
weapons and may be more suitable for L3 and L4 style games (where the
characters may be literally expected to take on the army—although even then,
probably, not directly).

Natural Acrobat

Fast Company characters have innate balance and reflexes
and get 8 Character Points in Acrobatics skill. They are encouraged to buy
Level 3 so as to take advantage of their Dodge vs. Ranged Attacks.

Extra Initiative

All Fast Company characters get +5
Initiative.

Extra REA

Some Fast Company characters get +3 REA as well as the +5 Initiative. Note
that REA also adds to Initiative so a L2 Fast Company character with 13 REA
would get +3 REA (total of 16 REA) and then +5 Initiative for an Initiative
roll of a 21-!

Extra Damage Points

Fast Company characters are tough
and get extra Damage Points.

Combat Techniques

Fast Company characters deal extra damage with unarmed
combat. Note: this is Impact Damage that is added to unarmed blows. It does not add to any weapon attack (including
clubs or staves).

Bullet Round

Some characters get a “Bullet
Round.” This represents extraordinary speed and has several game effects. The
short effect here is that characters with a Bullet Round get an entire extra
round of action with full REA before each normal round in which characters
without a bullet round may only dodge/block if they choose. We’ll explain how
this works in more detail in a special section below.

AP’s in GATS

Fast Company characters are expected to be extraordinary
in other ways too and most of these packages come with specific APs for the
character to spend on Generic Archetype Traits. These may further raise the damage the character
does (or increase speed, give 1 REA attacks, etc.) These GAT points are “built
in” to the total cost.

Fast Company Packages

These are the four levels of Fast Company.

Fast Company Level 1

TAP [.50,.41,.38]

Description: You
are an action hero of some sort! You are recognizably mortal but can probably
handle two or three semi-trained opponent tough-guys without breaking a
sweat. You might be an elite special forces agent, a wandering martial arts
master, or an exotically trained assassin. Possible examples:

vIndiana Jones, John McClane, Members of GI
Joe?

Bonuses

Notes

Dodge
Ranged Attack

YES

Full
AGI Bonus vs. Ranged Attacks

YES

FAST
Defenses

YES

-8
PEN / -4 IMP

Natural
Acrobat

YES

8
CP in Acrobatics

Extra
Initiative

YES

+5
Initiative Rolls

Extra
REA

NO

No
bonus to REA

Extra
Damage Points

YES

+10
Damage Points

Combat
Techniques

YES

+6
HTH, A-Cost +3 AP

Bullet
Round

NO

No
Bullet Round

GAT
APs

YES

4
APs in GATs

Trait

8

16

24

32

40

48

56

64+

Fast
Co L1

N/A

N/A

22

24

27

30

33

35

Fast Company Level 2

TAP [.59,.56,.47]

Description: You
are a superior action adventurer. You
can handle multiple tough opponents and excel in “doing the impossible.”
Possible examples:

vJames Bond, Jason Bourne, Khal Drogo, most of
the Watchmen

Bonuses

Notes

Dodge
Ranged Attack

YES

Full
AGI Bonus vs. Ranged Attacks

YES

FAST
Defenses

YES

-8
PEN / -4 IMP

Natural
Acrobat

YES

8
CP in Acrobatics

Extra
Initiative

YES

+5
Initiative Rolls

Extra
REA

YES

+3
REA

Extra
Damage Points

YES

+12
Damage Points

Combat
Techniques

YES

+7
HTH, A-Cost +4 AP

Bullet
Round

NO

No
Bullet Round

GAT
APs

YES

8
APs in GATs

Trait

8

16

24

32

40

48

56

64+

Fast
Co L2

N/A

N/A

N/A

32

37

41

45

46

Fast Company Level 3

TAP [.81,.69,.59]

Description: You
are nearing the level of super powered. At this level you get a Bullet Round
which effectively doubles your REA! You are an elite fighting machine.
Possible examples:

vOzymandias of the Watchmen, V, The Bride

Bonuses

Notes

Dodge
Ranged Attack

YES

Full
AGI Bonus vs. Ranged Attacks

YES

FAST
Defenses

YES

-8
PEN / -4 IMP

Natural
Acrobat

YES

8
CP in Acrobatics

Extra
Initiative

YES

+5
Initiative Rolls

Extra
REA

NO

No
bonus to REA

Extra
Damage Points

YES

+14
Damage Points

Combat
Techniques

YES

+4
HTH, A-Cost +4 AP

Bullet
Round

YES

Bullet
Round

GAT
APs

YES

12
APs in GATs

Trait

8

16

24

32

40

48

56

64+

Fast
Co L3

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

56

59

Fast Company Level 4

TAP [.97,.81,.69]

Description: At
level 4 you are the outer-limit of human potential (in fact, when this gets
mixed with four-color supers the AP-cost chart will be extended out to 128 AP
or more!). You are a blur of attacks and defenses. Possible examples:

vNeo, Batman, Doc Savage, The Shadow

Bonuses

Notes

Dodge
Ranged Attack

YES

Full
AGI Bonus vs. Ranged Attacks

YES

FAST
Defenses

YES

-8
PEN / -4 IMP

Natural
Acrobat

YES

8
CP in Acrobatics

Extra
Initiative

YES

+5
Initiative Rolls

Extra
REA

YES

+3
REA

Extra
Damage Points

YES

+16
Damage Points

Combat
Techniques

YES

+4
HTH, A-Cost +4 AP

Bullet
Round

YES

Bullet
Round

GAT
APs

YES

16
APs in GATs

Trait

8

16

24

32

40

48

56

64+

Fast
Co L4

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

64

Possible Examples

We’re aware that we could spend the rest of our lives
arguing about whether the specific examples make sense (is James Bond
actually a tough guy like Khal Drogo or Jason Bourne?). We picked these to be
somewhat relevant (and some of them are showing our age) and to be
interesting. If you don’t feel they belong there, that’s fine—it certainly
isn’t scientific.

Some
Additional Rules

Here are some additional notes to follow up with.

The
Bullet Round

The Fast Company ‘Bullet Round’ capability requires some
further explanation. Here is how it works:

Before each “normal Round” there is a Bullet Round (and, if
playing with optional/advanced rules, possibly more than one). Anyone with a
Bullet Round can take a full Round’s worth of actions normally during
that Round. Other characters can only take defensive actions: Blocks or Dodges.

If only one character in the battle has a Bullet Round then
it’s easy—they just get to take a full Round and then they roll Initiative like
everyone one else for the “normal Round.”

If several characters have Bullet Rounds then there is a
Bullet Round Initiative and everyone with a Bullet Round rolls Initiative and
they all take their Turns normally and then they do it all over again for the “normal
Round.”

The key thing to understand is that in terms of “in-game
reality” this Bullet Round happens ‘really fast’ in the same time frame as the ‘normal
Round.’ This in effect can:

vDouble weapon’s apparent rates of fire (if the
Bullet Round character fires both on the Bullet Round and the normal round)

Things Re-Set During a Bullet Round

If I have a blast that requires a Round of Charge Up it’ll
charge during my Bullet Round. If I throw a Cross during my Bullet Round I’ll
lose the negatives when I get to go on my normal round (and vice-versa: if I
throw a cross on my Normal Round it’ll re-set during my Bullet Round next
Round).

You Don’t Fall Twice As Fast

You don’t fall twice as fast though—during a Bullet Round
you won’t fall. Cars don’t move during Bullet Rounds (generally—that’s optional
if the driver has a bullet round and the game wants to make a distinction between
Fast Co drivers and normal drivers—but that means the car is “effectively
moving twice as fast”).

Continuing Attacks Generally Do Go During a Bullet Round

Fire will “burn” during a Bullet Round and poison, if there
is continuing damage, will go during the Bullet Round.

As an advanced rule, however, the group can only run those
effects during a Bullet Round if they
came from a source with a Bullet Round. This gets complex. The rationale
behind having a continuing effect strike during a Bullet Round is because we
think it’s easier to play that away.

Explaining The Bullet Round

Bullet Rounds are a meta-game rule: there is no specific
in-game explanation for them. Perhaps if the game is very metaphysical the
character is literally “outside of time” a bit—but otherwise the explanation is
simply that the character is very, very fast and the game rules are constructed
to support that. In other words, don’t get hung up on it.

Getting Caught Flat Footed

Fast Company defenses: the negative damage modifiers against
PEN and IMP attacks are meant to represent a combination of extreme mobility
and the ability of Fast Co characters to innately sense incoming damage. If the
character is caught “with a gun to their
head” they might not get that bonus (same if they are held completely still).

Our general ruling is that if a character is “caught by
complete surprise” they lose their negative Damage Modifiers and AGI Bonus against
1 shot until there is some kind of diversion. This construct allows Fast Co
characters to be captured until they can come up with a distraction to escape.

This works well so long as everyone involved understands the
conventions at play: in a gritty more realistic game where capture is going to
lead to swift execution we would expect the GM or Players arranging “complete
surprise” so they can shoot other Fast Co characters in the head to be
extremely difficult.

Similarly, if the character hugely restrained (under a pile
of security guards or ankle cuffed with hands also locked behind their back?)
then they would likely lose the bonus—but, again, this is intended to support
genre conventions and we think the group needs to be on the same page with
respect to what everyone thinks is fair (the GM will make the ultimate
decision).

Fast Company and Gear

Super Spies and costumed crime-fighters may have things like
special weapons, exotic security-defeating devices, or even things like
ultra-lightweight body armor. It is certainly acceptable to use the GAT points
for this buying off the gear list or buying other abilities and making them
into gear.

However, in many games characters will have the choice of whether or not to carry “normal”
weapons. In these games the characters are generally not paying AP for weapons but might pay APs (or Mod Points) for
exotic or upgraded weapons.

In these cases the character will get to carry a 4 AP weapon
(a hand gun, a sword, a staff?) for ‘free.’ If they wish to spend APs (through
Mod points or building on the 4 APs) to upgrade their weapon, that’s fine. They
might also be allowed to carry exotic weapons or have other 4 AP attacks (so
long as they don’t add to the unarmed
damage).

3 comments:

One of the stated goals for the Fast Company rules is to make the choice of weapon or non-weapon operation largely a style choice. But it occurs to me that unless you run the game in a pretty heavily stylized way, that doesn't entirely work. Let me explain why, and perhaps you can tell me why you disagree.

1. Guns. Guns, whatever their other traits, provide range. Unless characters are even faster than FC characters seem to be (i.e. have the equivalent of super-speed), there's going to be a strong benefit in many circumstances to having a ranged attack, given the movement speeds in JAGS. That seems to make them more attractive than melee combat even if other things are flattened out.

2. Unarmed. Being best unarmed means you're always going to have the advantage of having your primary combat tools with you, no matter whether you're breaking out of capture, going through airport security, or whatever. That seems to make it the superior choice in that regard to an armed build.

You can argue that these two work and balance a bit against each other, but if either one of them is significant it seems to leave the other down, and either or both of them make melee weapons a bad choice.

It's a good question. Here's the thinking: The goal isn't to make them all completely even (I mean, if we could, yeah--but I don't see that as all that feasible)--but rather to mitigate normally huge advantage gun-users have over unarmed characters.

It's also to balance guys with Katanas against bare-handed fighters more than they'd normally be.

I'm a lot less worried about guys with blunt weapons (Staff fighters? Nunchukau?).

A guy with a sword will carve up non-fast co characters faster than his unarmed team-mate but will have a harder time against another Fast Co guy.

In terms of "not having the weapon" I do think that's a good question. There are likely places you can't get your gun or sword--but in the world of Fast Company, like the world of, say, Kill Bill, there might be fewer of them than you'd think.

But, yes, on the balance, characters with melee weapons are going to probably face /some/ greater defects due to having some of the worst of both worlds (a character who can have any weapon might well prefer a gun to a sword) but if we assume that a lot of fights happen at pretty close range and a good number are against non-fast co guys, I don't think the sword master is going to complain too much.

Another note: Unarmed damage is less expensive than sword damage, which (in turn) is less expensive than gun damage -- all of this, to balance in the simulator.

The simulator provides a fairly simplistic tactical situation: you start out -- at most -- a long move away and there's no cover, no place to hide, etc.

In a real game, tactics matter and people with ranged weapons usually (but not always, as you point out) have more options. In the game we're playing now 50% of the party has chosen to be unarmed... and it's worked out reasonably evenly. One reason is that in the dungeon environment fights often happen in close quarters (or at most a long-move away), but I think that choice speaks to the relative balance of the different options. The game is *not* fast company... but it is supposed to provide three balanced options (gun / sword/ unarmed) much like fast company will.